Pre-Application Meeting Videos and TranscriptsApril 22, 2002
MS. PERKINSON: Well, I just want to say welcome again. As you just heard, this is the first time that OERI has made it mandatory to apply electronically for a grant. What I'm giving you today is an overview of the electronic grant application system better known as e-Application. It will no doubt make more sense when you get into the system and start working with it.
A major point I want to make today is to assure you that there's lots of help along the way. First, there are the materials in your packets. Second, there's a help line you can reach for technical support. It's open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Washington, D.C. time, Monday through Friday. You'll find hours, a toll free number and e-mail address on one of your handouts. It's also on the website and in the Federal Register Notice. Don't hesitate to call these folks for any technical assistance. And, third, there are references and guides on-line at the e-Application website including a very excellent User's Guide and demo site for practicing.
Now, let's look at the website. The URL is e-grants.ed.gov. You'll find this address on materials in your packet as well as the Federal Register Notice. The first thing you'll see is the welcome page for the entire e-grant system. This page tells the hours and days when the system is up. Keep in mind the e-Application is not open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Normally it's open Monday through Friday 6:00 a.m. till midnight, Washington D.C. time, and Saturday 6:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. The system is closed on Sundays and federal holidays. Also, there may be temporary closures due to systems problems. So, it's important to keep a check on hours and days of operation. There's another link to this information once you get into the system.
To get in you click on the e-Application tab at the top left of the page under the department field. When you enter e-Application as a first time user you'll have to register, but before going into that let me point out the tabs on the left-hand side of the screen. Here are some of the on-line references I mentioned earlier. Again, let me emphasize how helpful the two items are, Nine Steps to Submission and the User's Guide. Nine Steps is in your packet. The 20 page User's Guide I strongly recommend you download and use as a reference. Please note that the Nine Steps piece will tell you how to check your system for compatibility with the e-Application site. If you have a problem, this would be a good time, at the very beginning of the process to address it.
The User's Guide is more comprehensive. It goes into details about such things as how to collaborate in preparing an application, who is an Application Manager and what are his or her privileges and responsibilities, what does it mean to have privileges, who is the authorized representative, how do you handle signatures, how do you upload files into your application and how to submit or unsubmit an application and there's much, much more in the User's Guide. Also be sure to note the Demo Site tab. When you click this you can practice any of the elements of the e-Application. And notice the Links tab. This will take you to the regulations, the Federal Register, the department website and other pertinent sites.
Meantime, back to the issue of registering. When you scroll down further on this page you'll see the button marked Register. Click it. You'll come to a series of question prompts, your name, address, phone number, e-mail, et cetera. Just answer and when you're done click submit. Very soon afterward you'll receive an e-mail with your password. At this point you're ready to login. Please note that whoever registers and logs in first will automatically be made the Application Manager.
So, if you're with an institution of higher education you'll need to check with your Office of Sponsored Research before you register and login for the first time. Nearly all institutions of higher ed require that only staff of the Office of Sponsored Research should serve as an Application Manager.
Once you've registered and logged in what will come up is a list of all the application packages for programs that are currently accepting e-Applications. You'll need to scroll down a bit until you come to the Program of Research on Reading Comprehension then click on the program name.
You will now be in your own unique start page. The first time you're here click the Apply button to get to the application. The next time and all other times after that you'll go to the program name in the box and click. If you click the Apply button a second time you'll create a second application. The good news is that if you make this mistake, as I did, you can easily undo it later. And more good news is that the whole e-Application system is designed so that you can easily make corrections and changes whenever you need to.
So, from your unique start page you will always go into the application. The first thing you'll see is the list of application forms. This contains all the elements of the application, the government forms you'll need to complete as well as the narrative portion. To get into any form simply make your selection and click on the name. Please note, however, that this page is much more than a portal into the individual forms. You'll use it a lot. For instance, you'll use it to print out all of the application or just certain forms, to check the status of any or all forms, to access instructions including the Federal Register Notices which are under the General Instructions tab. The Application Manager will use it to manage the process to determine who has privileges to do what on the application and, finally, this is the page where, when you're all done, the person with the submit privilege will click the submit button.
But back to the beginning of the process. You want to select an element to work on. This you do by clicking on the name. This is what would come up if you chose the project narrative portion for our program. It will repeat the criteria and as you scroll down you'll come to a spot where you can upload material from another file. At this point it will look something like this although the screen here is not for our particular program. You'll be reminded of the page limit for that narrative portion. Then you can upload from a word file or one that is in bridge text format. If you've got material in other formats such as a letter you want to include in your Appendix that's in PDF, you can scan the item and convert it to a word file for uploading. The User's Guide goes into detail on this and don't forget the Help Desk.
Notice the Save button at the bottom. These Save buttons are located on each form and narrative. You can always save your work and come back to it later. Also, as you work we recommend that you save frequently. When you've uploaded a narrative portion and saved it you can mark it completed. You can still return to it for editing if you'd like. This is true for the government forms, as well.
Say you return to your start page and enter another form, for instance, the Standard Face Sheet also known as the Application for Federal Assistance Ed Form 424. This one you'll complete by typing in the blank spaces. It's important that you print out this completed Ed Form 424 from the e-Application system. Your institution's authorizing representative must sign it. However, you still go ahead and submit electronically.
So, what about signatures, how does that work? As soon as you submit your e-Application you'll receive an automatic acknowledgment by e-mail. It will include the unique identifying number for your application. Write this number on the upper right-hand corner of the signed Ed Form 424, the face sheet, and fax it to the Department within three days of submitting your e-Application. The fax number is in your package and you'll be reminded on your e-mail acknowledgment of what to do. For other forms with a signature block, specifically the Certifications and Assurances, you also submit electronically. Someone will contact you later about how to submit the signed copies.
When everything is completed and approved by your institution's authorized representative and you're ready to submit, go to the start page. The Submit button is at the bottom of this page. Please note that the application deadline is 4:30 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, May 31st. So, even though e-Application is open until midnight, you still need to submit by no later than 4:30 p.m. in order to be considered.
The Federal Register Notice advises that you not wait until the deadline to transmit. If you do and you're not able to access the e-Application system you must contact the Help Desk by 4:30 p.m. on May 31st and they'll instruct you from there.
Finally, we think you'll find the application straightforward and simple once you get into it. Remember, there's help every step of the way. There are materials in your kit, there are excellent on-line references and here let me make another plug for the User's Guide, for downloading it and using it as a basic reference and , finally, there's a help line you can contact for technical assistance. Thank you and I wish you well.
Pre-Application Meeting Videos and Transcripts
This page last modified May 30, 2002 (jer)